BICHOLIM: The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Bicholim has remanded eight workers of Sesa Goa mining company in police custody for two days, on Friday after they were produced before the court. This was as informed by Bicholim PI Narayan Chimulkar. He also informed that Union leader Adv Ajeetsingh Rane has applied for anticipatory bail.
It may be recalled that police on Wednesday late night had arrested Deepak Popkar, Kishore Lokre, Deepak Kinalkar, Sagun Haldankar, Mahesh Kauthankar, Anand Gad, Pandurang Mayekar and Devu Ghatwal for assaulting a Sesa Goa worker Jagdish Arondekar for joining duty despite strike. Arondekar was assaulted on Wednesday evening while, he was returning from work. The police had arrested the suspects under Sections 143, 147, 323,504,506-II, 427 and 395 red with Section 149 of IPC.
When the Sesa workers learnt of the arrest of the eight, around 350 employees had gathered in front of the Bicholim police station, on Thursday morning, protesting their arrest and demanding their release. This led to a tense situation at the police station.
To control the situation, police deployed a strong police force of more than 100 personnel around the police station area.
Bicholim DySP Ramesh Gaonkar, PI Narayan Chimulkar, Valpoi PI Deepak Pednekar, PSI Anand Narvekar and others were camping at the police station to handle the situation. The workers remained seated in front of the police station throughout the day.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters, workers union President Nilesh Karbotkar and general secretary Balakhan Gori said that their only demand on the company was the recognition Adv Ajeetsingh Rane as the leader of their union or otherwise company should give them one time settlement option with good remuneration once for all thereby releasing them from work.
